improvise: [19] Etymologically, if you improvise something, it is because it has not been ‘provided’ for in advance. The word comes via French improviser from the Italian adjective improvviso ‘extempore’, a descendant of Latin imprōvīsus ‘unforeseen’. This in turn was formed from the negative prefix in- and the past participle of prōvīdere ‘foresee’ (source of English provide).
The earliest recorded use of the verb in English is by Benjamin Disraeli in Vivian Grey 1826: ‘He possessed also the singular faculty of being able to improvise quotations’. (The closely related improvident ‘not providing for the future’ [16] preserves even more closely the sense of its Latin original.) => provide
improvise (v.)
1826, back-formation from improvisation, or else from French improviser (17c.), from Italian improvisare "to sing or speak extempore," from improviso, from Latin improvisus "unforeseen, unexpected" (see improvisation). Or possibly a back-formation from improvisation. Related: Improvised; improvising.
双语例句
1. They show no disposition to improvise or to take risks.
他们不愿意临时凑合或冒险。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Sometimes I improvise and change the words because I forget them.
有时，我临场发挥改了词，因为我把原来的词给忘了。
来自柯林斯例句
3. I then begin to improvise melodies vocally.
接着我开始哼起即兴创作的旋律。
来自柯林斯例句
4. There isn't much equipment. We're going to have to improvise.
设备不多，我们只能将就着用。
来自《权威词典》
5. The church organist may improvise on a ground bass.
